A Colorado man was killed after being struck by lightning while on his honeymoon on a beach in central Florida, officials have said.
The man, who was 29 years old, was visiting New Smyrna Beach on Florida’s east coast, not far from Daytona Beach, and was standing in ankle-deep water when it happened on Friday.
County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs told local broadcaster WKMG that first responders had done CPR on the victim, but that he had died in hospital the following day.
It’s not clear how recently the man was married, since officials said he had been on a “delayed honeymoon”. Officials have also not released the man’s name.
That same day, two golfers in the same city were also struck indirectly by lightning — meaning they were shocked when lightning struck an object nearby — without needing hospital treatment.
“This serves as an important reminder of, ‘when thunder roars, go indoors,'” said City Spokesperson Ava Hanner. “If you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning, even if the sky looks clear.”
It comes after a 15-year-old boy survived being struck by lightning in New York City’s Central Park while attempting to take cover under a tree, which he told reporters “in hindsight might not have been the best idea”.
County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said: “So sorry for the tragic loss of a young man here on a delayed honeymoon with his wife. At 29 years old, he should have had many more anniversaries with her for years to come.
“Sending sincere condolences to this young woman on behalf of all of us in Volusia County, who were hoping against hope that the diligent efforts of our lifeguards, EMS team and ER staff would bring him back to her.”
Malphurs told WKMG that the lightning bolt had come from a storm that was still several miles away, which is rare but not unknown.
“We see them, and a lot of times they move in really fast… it’s rare in this instance,” said Malphurs. ““I’ve seen about six or seven people die on the beach from lightning strikes.”
Authorities say if you’re caught in an exposed area where lightning is likely to strike, you should immediately seek shelter in a building, or failing that inside a vehicle with a hard metal top and its windows closed.
